Who is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio?

Bad Bunny

Bad Bunny has become a household name worldwide; he has risen to fame due to his musical talent and influence. He has completely changed the norms of the reggaeton genre and, with other artists' help, expanded it to a worldwide audience.

Background: 

March 10, 1994, in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, Benito Martínez Ocasio was born into a low-class family. He was a fan of music from a very young age, ranging from Puerto Rican music, such as reggaeton, salsa, and merengue, to classical rock, hip hop, and reggae. His love for music turned into a part of his everyday life; he sang in the choir of his local Catholic Church until he was 13 and eventually started making his beats and demos in his room and freestyling for his friends. Later, he worked at “Supermercados Econo” as a bagger and graduated in audiovisual communications at the University of Puerto Rico, Arecibo. 

Artists Name Origin: 

The origin of his artist name “Bad Bunny” was shared in an exclusive interview with ET in 2018, where he stated, “When I was a little boy in school, I had to dress up as a bunny, and there’s a picture of me with an annoyed face. And when I saw it, I thought I should name myself ‘Bad Bunny', It’s a name I knew would market well. A bunny is something so common that I thought to myself, every time someone sees one, they’ll remember my music.” 

Puerto Rican Culture:

Benito has always been extremely vocal about his proud Puerto Rican origin, constantly alluding to it in songs and interviews. “Puedo mudarme de PR, pero PR de mi alma nunca se podra mudar”  NADIE SABE.  Furthermore, he has used his platform to address social and political issues on the island. Such as when he wore a shirt at his performance on the Jimmy Fallon show reading “mataron a Alexa, no a un hombre con falda,” alluding to a murder of a trans woman that occurred in Puerto Rico, and his recent song Una Velita, that addresses the devastation of Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico. Through his songs and influence, he has managed to become a public voice for those without one. 

Music: 

Bad Bunny first began releasing Puerto Rican Trap seriously in 2016 through features such as Tu No Vive Asi, Diles, and Caile and singles such as Soy Peor. Through these hits, people started discovering his music, generating an increase in his following. He continued releasing music consistently for the rest of the year and the next, rising to fame with the release of Sensualidad in 2017. He continued to climb the ladder of success in the music industry, becoming a Grammy-nominated artist with I Like It, a single featuring huge artists Cardi B and J Balvin. Since then, his career has been completely uphill, from the release of X100pre his first official album in 2018, followed by the release of YHLQMDLG, El Ultimo Tour del Mundo, Un Verano Sin Ti, and nadie sabe lo que va a pasar mañana, all released in 3 years. 

Bad Bunny has maintained his strong fan base while undergoing significant artistic evolution, something few can achieve. His talent for blending genres, breaking social norms, and advocating for social injustice through his lyrics has transformed the industry, making him a symbol of creativity and authenticity.

*Song recommendation, where Bad Bunny shared a lot about himself: Desde el Corazón.*

Works Cited:

Bad Bunny. Un Verano Sin Ti. Rimas Entertainment, 2022. Spotify, https://open.spotify.com/track/4Dvkj6JhhA12EX05fT7y2e.

Bad Bunny. YHLQMDLG. Rimas Entertainment, 2020. Spotify, https://open.spotify.com/album/7CjJb2mikwAWA1V6kewFBF?si=x8OuRquUQ3GIkFomLtuYuQ.

Bad Bunny. El Último Tour del Mundo. Rimas Entertainment, 2020. Spotify, https://open.spotify.com/album/5lJqux7orBlA1QzyiBGti1?si=p5rsR1orSeG_L0NwID8ybA.

Bad Bunny. X100PRE. Rimas Entertainment, 2018. Spotify, https://open.spotify.com/album/2d9BCZeAAhiZWPpbX9aPCW?si=zV_0HnFdQG2CI4gLvBpzeg.

Bad Bunny. Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana. Rimas Entertainment, 2023. Spotify, https://open.spotify.com/album/3RQQmkQEvNCY4prGKE6oc5?si=J_4UC1O7Qm6LbVw1XOts5w.

"Bad Bunny Viste Una Falda Por Alexa En The Tonight Show." Telemundo Puerto Rico, 2020, https://www.telemundopr.com/noticias/puerto-rico/bad-bunny-viste-una-falda-por-alexa-en-the-tonight-show/2052623/.

"Bad Bunny - Desde El Corazón (Video)." YouTube, uploaded by Bad Bunny, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUYrEiymUMY.

"The Rise of Bad Bunny: From Superstore Bagger to King of Trap Music." Entertainment Tonight, 2018, https://www.etonline.com/the-rise-of-bad-bunny-from-superstore-bagger-to-king-of-trap-music-exclusive-111455.

"Bad Bunny." Biography, A&E Networks Television, https://www.biography.com/musicians/bad-bunny. Accessed 29 Sept. 2024.